Kalani Sitake Shares Story of Life-Changing BYU Player
Kalani Sitake, BYU Football, Devotional.
BYU football head coach Kalani Sitake accomplished something only LaVell Edwards had done before: he gave a talk at a BYU Devotional while actively serving as the head coach of the BYU football program.
Entering his 10th year as BYU’s head coach, Kalani Sitake addressed thousands of BYU students at the Marriott Center.
BYU Devotionals feature speeches from prominent guests intended to uplift, inspire, and offer hope. These devotionals are held every Tuesday for BYU students.
Many players from the BYU football team sat in the middle section at the Marriott Center to watch their head coach deliver the devotional address.
Sitake’s talk was titled “Discovering God’s Plan for You.”
Kalani Sitake speaks at BYU Devotional
This is the first time since 1976 that an active BYU football coach spoke at a devotional. LaVell Edwards was the speaker that year, and he also spoke in April 2001, five months after coaching his final game as BYU’s head coach.
In his talk, Sitake shared about his childhood and the challenges he faced after his parents divorced.
Sitake has shared the story of his parents’ divorce before and often recounted how a BYU football player changed his life. However, it was not until Tuesday that Sitake revealed who that player was.
Kalani Sitake recounts a life-changing experience with a former BYU football player
“I was attending Cascade Elementary in Orem during my fourth grade year. At that time, the BYU football team was the only thing that brought joy to my young life.
“It was 1984, the undefeated national championship year. I felt like God answered all my prayers every week for every game. I even remember praying for Heavenly Father to bless the players’ health, especially Robbie Bosco, because he was always limping for some reason.
“Then, the national champions were coming to visit our school. It felt unreal.
“At the assembly, the players and coaches were amazing. They took turns speaking to the entire school. Afterward, they signed autographs and took pictures, and participated in different activities and games. Though it was exciting, I was still sad.
“I had no confidence and low self-esteem. I was in a lot of pain. I missed my home in Laie, Hawaii, my friends, and my mom.
“So, I sat on the side, content to just watch them interact and laugh with the other students and teachers. One player noticed me and motioned for me to join them. I shook my head, unsure if he meant me. But he walked toward me, and I froze. This was a big-time player, and he was my favorite player. I didn’t know why he was coming to talk to me.
“He asked me a couple of questions and did most of the talking for a minute. Then, before he left to rejoin the group, he gave me a hug. It felt different from anything I had ever experienced. I felt warm, and I felt safe. During the hug, he said, ‘Everything is gonna be fine. I love you, and God loves you.’
“I’ve heard those words before, but this time I truly believed them. That hug fixed something inside me that was broken. It was in that moment that I knew I was going to play football for BYU and be like that player, Vai Sikahema. I wanted to be like him. My heart was full of love and joy.
“He wore number 23 at BYU, playing running back and kick returner. Ten years later, in 1994, I wore the number 23 as a freshman and played running back, just like him, to honor the impact he had on my life.
“He went on to have an impressive NFL career as an all-pro returner. He was the first Tongan to play in the NFL. Elder Sikahema now serves as a General Authority Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Years later, I asked him if he remembered the moment. To my surprise, he didn’t recall meeting a shy 9-year-old at Cascade Elementary in Orem. But to me, it meant everything!
“He was ‘responsive to spiritual promptings.’ As Elder (Ronald A.) Rasband reminds us, ‘The Lord’s hand is guiding you. By divine design, He is in the small details of your life as well as the major milestones.’ For Elder Sikahema, it was a small detail, but for me, it was a significant milestone.”
“Now, as I watch our players interact with young people, I understand it’s more than just football, especially here. In October 2013, President Russell M. Nelson declared, ‘Your Heavenly Father has known you for a very long time. You, as His son or daughter…’”
